You'll Do Take 2
by Marjorie K. Place
Summary: Savannah survives Baitfish's attack, but will LaSalle find the happy ending that he's hoping for? Alternative ending and storyline for "You'll Do". Pride/LaSalle centered. {Chris and Savannah}
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have a love-hate relationship with the episode, You'll Do where Baitfish murders Savannah and this story has been on my mind for a long time. So I've decided to let the muse free and play with the idea of Savannah surviving and completely wiping out that cheesy stand off scene between LaSalle and Baitfish from** _ **How Much Pain Can You Take.**_

 **This story is largely a Pride/LaSalle epic as I so enjoy the idea of the father-son relationship that the series first introduced us to.**

 _The romantic dinner for two was just about complete as Savannah Kelly set a vase of fresh flowers in the center of the table and lit a candle in time with the creak of the Iron Gate._

 _"_ _Chris, that was fast," Her heart accelerated with the bright a smile that spread across her face. Traffic must have been light; she hadn't expected him for another 20 minutes or so. Imagine her surprise when she looked up to see a gunman wearing black gloves._

 _"_ _Oh God," the thump of her heart beat changed from madly in love to outright fear, terror._

 _"_ _Where's LaSalle? I need tuh get a message to his boss," Baitfish asked calmly, delighted by the undeniable terror in her eyes._

 _"_ _I don't know, I swear," A hard lump gathered in the back of her throat, tears of terror gathering on her lashes as he surveyed her beautifully set table._

 _You'll Do_

* * *

One hour later, the mermaid as she had been dubbed by an ATF agent she'd never met, sat on a gurney in the ER with the jacket of an EMS worker wrapped around her shoulders (the jacket covering the crimson splatter on her white sweater).

Dwayne Pride pushed back the curtain his heart sinking. The beautiful young woman who fancied his surrogate's son's heart looked completely broken. Her long red hair, hanging slightly in her face couldn't mask her crestfallen and dismal expression.

"Savannah?" Pride said, gently trying to garner her attention. She was looking right at him, yet her normally pretty green eyes weren't seeing him. The senior agent knelt before her, placing a hand on her knee.

"Savannah, can ya hear me?"

Unconsciously, the red head drew her vacant gaze to his.

"Can ya tell me what happened?" Pride asked, staying in place. He'd seen people in shock before, hundreds of times but there was something about the look her eyes that got to him. She looked like an empty soul.

"M-m-man with…a...gun…shot Chris in the chest," she whispered, as if she couldn't speak, longs streams of tears burning a path down her face. "There was so much blood. Oh God, he was bleeding so much and I-" She held out her hands for the man Chris thought of as a father to inspect.

Pride nodded slightly, swallowing back the lump that had gathered in his throat.

"This blood on your sweater, its Christopher's?" he asked earning a nod. He was certain the paramedics had checked her out, but something inside of him needed to be sure.

 _If it was Chris' blood then there was a chance his young friend was dead._

"After he shot Christopher then what happened?"

Savannah averted her gaze, squeezing another river from her eyes. "He said, he wanted to send a message to-to-you."

Pride closed his eyes. It was personal before, but it had become even more personal now. "What did he say?"

Savannah swiped at her face, as she spoke, her voice quavering, "he said to have you call Chris' phone and ask for Baitfish."

Baitfish? Pride's insides liquefied. Coming after him he understood, but Christopher? Savannah? The only rational he could fathom was that his former CI was smart enough to know he'd have extra eyes lookin' out for Laurel.

So he went for the next best thing: his best friend and surrogate son.

* * *

Chris let out an unconscious groan as Baitfish, dropped him onto the hard concrete floor like a sack of potatoes flat on his back. There was no need for restraints the bullet wound in the agent's chest was more than enough to keep him from fighting back.

"Wasn't expecting you to come in through the side door and blindside me, like ya did, LaSalle. Now I've to got to change my plans a bit. Don't matter though; things'll end up the same way for you. Little more painful than I originally intended, but that's all right yer a big tough lawman, the hero who saved the girl!"

Baitfish, knelt down so that he could get a better look at his handy work. It was a little hard to see given the black t-shirt LaSalle was wearing, but from what he could tell the placement of the bullet was accurate. Not, a direct shot to the heart, but significant enough that the agent would more than likely bleed to death before Pride arrived.

The phone at his hip began to buzz, lighting up an eager smile as he pulled it out out from his pocket and saw the name: Pride.

"You just remember what I tol' ya and play along, that way that pretty little girlfriend of yours will stay alive."

"Go to hell!" Yes, it seemed stupid to have made a deal with the treacherous drug dealing prick to use him as bait for Pride, but it had kept Savannah was alive. Doutbless, Pride would be smart enough not to fall for whatever trap was being set.

Baitfish's eyes lit up, "I probably will but ya know what? You and Pride will both beat me there." The child murdering bastard then pushed to his feet, answering Chris' phone. "I see you got my message. LaSalle's girlfriend make it to the hospital all right?"

"Baitfish-"

"I'm not your Baitfish anymore, I done growed into a whale." Paul Jenks looked down at the dying agent on the floor, "I shot your partner, Pride. Could have killed him and his girlfriend, but instead LaSalle and I struck a little deal. I let his girlfriend go in exchange for the two of you."

"Let him go, Baitfish and you can have me."

"I'll do that." Jenks replied, "Just as soon as you come pick him up." For good measure he put his foot right dead center into Chris' wounded chest, just so that Pride could hear his friend cry out.

"Jenks!" Pride's voice echoed.

"Ya better hurry, Pride I'm not sure how much time your boy has left." He knelt again, pressing the phone to mute before looking directly into LaSalle's eyes. "You keep the line open the entire time, talk to Pride. I want him to hear everything otherwise-"

He didn't need to finish the sentence as he released the mute button.

"Come alone, Pride"

"Let me talk to LaSalle."

"He wants to talk to you," Baitfish purposely set the phone just out of LaSalle's reach before he rose to his feet. Judging from the amount of blood pooling on the floor, the agent wouldn't have enough strength to try and reach it. This way, he could have the satisfaction of Pride listening to his young friend die.

"Christopher?"

Chris looked in the direction of phone, panting as his body began to struggle for breath. "I hear ya, King."

"You listen to me, Chris. I'm comin' to get ya. You hang on until I get there-"

"King, Savannah-" her name was hanging on his lips, the last image of her cyin' and screaming burned through his mind. No matter how this ended up, she was never going to be the same. Even if he managed to survive he'd never be able to undo the horror of the her having to watch him be gunned down and then dragged off to the slaughter.

"She's fine. I've got Loretta and several NOPD watching out for her. I promise she'll be here waiting for ya when we get back." Pride's voice should have been somewhat soothing but it wasn't. For Chris LaSalle, could already feel his soul attempting to flee from his body.

Baitfish rolled his eyes in his eyes in disgust as the senior agent continued to offer false words of encouragement to his dying young friend.

"I hate to break up this father-son moment y'all are havin' but times a wastin'" Sadistically, he placed the heel of his boot at the base of Christopher's throat, slowly increasing the pressure. He took great pleasure in knowing that surrogate son of Dwanye Pride was under the umbrella of his mercy. Stubborn cuss Baitfish thought as his dying captive refused to beg or make more than a weak whimper gurgling sound in effort to breathe.

"You willin' ta die for die for Pride, are ya?" Baitfish grinned looking down at the anguish in the agent's face, he was hurting but the stupid loyal bastard was also determined to stay true to his surrogate father.

Idiot. What had Pride ever done for the agent to cause such a fierce look in his eyes Jenks wondered, staring down at his prey with his own evil glare. Had Pride used him, to do this dirty work like himself? Well, if that was case then the young man was in for a rude awakening. Maybe it would be better to let the stupid fool live so that one day he might see his beloved mentor for what he truly is?

But then again...

"Ya better hurry Pride if ya want a chance at savin' LaSalle 'cause he's fadin' pretty fast. In fact, mab'be you'd prefer I went ahead and put him out of his misery for ya?" Baitfish looked down at his captive as Chris made a feeble attempt to grab at his ankle and push him off of his wounded chest.

"How much more pain do you think he can take, Pride?"

"How much pain can you?" the senior agent snarled. "Hear me because I will never stop until I end you!"

"The harder you come at me, the more bodies will drop, startin' with ya partner here." Pulling his weapon, from the back of his jeans, Baitfish removed the silencer tossing it aside, the sound would resonate through the phone hitting Pride straight where he lived.

 **A/N: Angsty One-Shot that's ends in a not so certain future of the Bama Boy or would you like to see more?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: All I will say is do not judge and read to the very end. ;)**

 **A/N: Thank you, Kelly and Guest(s) for you reviews.**

The discharge of the gun struck Pride in his core, fear gripping him by the throat. Panic welled up in his chest. He couldn't breathe, couldn't force the necessary air into his lungs.

Had the unthinkable just happened?

The young man he loved like his own helplessly and brutally murdered while he stood by and listened, egging Baitfish on? Was he responsible for killing his surrogate son? Should he have called out, begging for Christopher's life? The thought was overwhelming, if he had just kept his cool instead of feeding into his own anger and raw emotion.

He stared at the phone, the connection lost.

 _Call ended_

He let the phone rest at his side, his eyes downcast at the linoleum flooring at his feet, thanking God he had enough sense to step out of the room and separate himself from Savannah before making that call.

Flicking his gaze heavenward, he blinked fending off any moisture that might be threatening to fall from his eyes. Far and wide whatever he was feeling right now was greater than any heartbreak he'd ever experience.

The only thing that would supersede it would be losing Laurel.

He moved about the small conference room he was in and stood at the window, resting his forearm in the frame, his head bowed. The phone was still in his hand.

Percy warned him that his former CI was planning at hit in town. He should have predicted, reached out warned his friend?

 _Just work the case_

The voice inside his head spoke with heart wrenching remorse. Dead or alive he still needed to find Chris, bring him home.

And then he needed to seek justice.

It hadn't taken much for Patton to track the sim card in LaSalle's phone to Baitfish's lair, a pharmaceutical warehouse near the 4th street clinic that he used to ship and receive his drugs.

Pride along with Brody and NOLA SWAT cased the outside of the typical metal sided building with an A-frame roof. Outside security flood lights illuminated their way around the perimeter.

"On my count," The senior agent took a moment to turn his ball cap around before giving the order. Weapons trained they entered the building from three different sides.

Pride with Brody and the SWAT team divided. Three groups of two congregated moving toward the center of the room, maneuvering around pallets. Once they were free of the large obstacles Pride set his eyes on the body of his young friend.

Chris was lying motionless in a large pool of his own blood, head titled to the side. A crimson trail on the floor indicated that he'd been dragged along the concrete to be set out on display.

Baitfish had strategically placed him out into the open to the center of the room away from the catwalk overhead.

Pride started to move, only to have Brody tug at his bicep. "Be careful."

The senior agent gave her a nod and carefully moved toward the fallen agent. His heart hammered in his chest as he crossed one foot over the other. The closer he got the more he felt his muscles start to tremble.

The heaviness that had been bearing down earlier was now crushing him. The closer he got to Chris, the more reality was sinking in. Crouching, he moved to check the agent's carotid but his effort was cut short when the room faded to pitch black.

Automatic gun fire followed, at a rapid rate forcing the agent to dive for cover. Tapping his com, he spoke quickly, directing Brody to restore the lights. Every muscle in his body jumped as bullets pinged around him. From where he sat, he was a sitting duck. Briefly he looked back at the center of darkness, thinking that he should have moved Christopher's body to save it from further desecration. But there hadn't been time. Chris would never forgive him if he died in vain all because Baitfish's plan to lead Pride to his death worked. The King of the city was certain that they'd be stuck together at fishin' hole outside of the pearly gates bickering if that were the case.

Or maybe he'd just be doomed to an eternity in hell for having let his friend down.

Wriggling into a small space, he began to fire blindly in the sound of their direction, in a futile effort. Other shots ensued from behind him, SWAT'S return fire.

The lights came back on and Pride caught a flash of Baitfish running on the catwalk some 10 feet up. Pushing to his feet, the muscle's burned as he started to give chase, taking the stairs two at time which was quite a feat for 62 year old, normally the burden of chasing down suspects went to the younger and more physically fit LaSalle.

But at this moment, Dwanye Cassius Pride was in rare form (especially since Baitfish had nowhere to go but down in which case those remaining on the ground would take care of him).

"There's no way outta this!" Pride hollered, a bit breathy. He just needed to corner the son of a bitch.

Baitfish rounded the corner, heading for the opposite set of stairs, where Special Agent Meredith Brody was waiting, weapon ready.

"Give it up Baitfish!" Pride shouted, aiming his weapon. "There's nowhere for you to go!"

Spinning, the cop and child killer's head whipped from one side to the other in a desperate last minute effort to find an escape. He would not be taken alive. Sweat started to form on his brow as Pride and Brody started to close in.

Think.

A large window at the end of the cat walk was his only means of escape (A desperate means, but an effective route). Sprinting, he dove shoulder first into the glass, throwing his arms up in effort to protect his face.

"NO!" The word came out in a rush as Pride ran to the window skidding to a stop in time to see Baitfish land in the back of an open flatbed stakebody rental truck filled with what looked to be recyclable, cushioning.

"Damn it!" Pride swore, putting a fist into the window sill to the point that he cut his several fingers on his hand, anger flashing hot. He would not let that bastard get away, if it took him the rest of his life, he would hunt the son a bitch down and-

 _Justice would be served?_

Who was he kidding? At this very moment he wanted vengeance. He started to trudge down the stairs, berating himself for having allowed Baitfish to win this round, by coming into his sandbox and attacking his people.

Correction, his best friend. His dead best friend.

Two SWAT team members were also dead courtesy of armor piercing rounds, but in Pride's heart they didn't hold a candle to Chris. It was selfish to think that but it was the truth. On the day when he finally caught up with Baitfish, their families would receive the closure that they deserved, but he never would.

There would never be closure for the death of the man, Dwayne Pride thought of as son, only remorse. Oh how he sorely regretted the harsh words he'd spoken to Chris, just days earlier when Cade's life had been on the line for murder.

Now it seemed so pointless for having cast his young friend aside and making him work with Agent Percy on the gun running case when ATF could have handled it just fine using their own personnel and sent them the necessary documentation.

And having admitted that if it would have been his own brother who was on trial that he would break rules, but LaSalle could not? What had that been all about?

You're a hypocrite a small voice inside of his head bleated.

One thing certain, he had certainly failed Chris LaSalle or so he thought until the sound of Brody's voice filling his com broke him of free of his self-loathing.

"LaSalle's still breathing!"

What?

How?

It didn't matter he reasoned, thanking the Almighty for the reprieve he had just received. If Chris could just manage to hang on long enough to make it to the hospital, Pride hoped he would be not forgiven but grace for allowing his young friend and the woman he loved to fall victim to his arch nemesis.

At the moment, he didn't deserve their forgiveness.

* * *

"You can't do that, Sir!"

The hell he couldn't.

Ignoring the protest of the paramedics, Pride pushed his way inside of the ambulance, sinking onto the bench seat next to the medic who was feverishly working to stabilize Chris.

The young man might be breathing but was still losing blood at an alarming rate.

Evidently, the second shot that Pride had heard over the phone had been nothing more than a ploy to gain his attention, an attempt to throw him off of his game.

And it had almost worked, could still work if he lost Chris.

Making sure he wasn't in the way, Pride leaned forward, placing his hand on LaSalle's thigh giving it a squeeze.

"Hold on, Son. Just hold on."

 **A/N: Did y'all really think I would kill off my favorite character? So, it looks like LaSalle may pull through but are Pride's troubles over? I really like the idea of having a longer ARC with Baitfish as the Arch Enemy so you can count on that he'll pop up again. ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So Baitfish in is the wind! But I can guarantee he'll come back!** **But first, I think we need to do something with LaSalle. I think I left off with him needing a transfusion... :)**

 **A/N: Thank you Kelly and guest(s) for your continued to support!**

"What's taking so long?" Savannah murmured into her father's shoulder.

"I don't know. I'll go find out." Peter Kelly kissed the top of his daugther's head slipping free of her hold and headed across the room where Loretta Wade was gathered at the coffee machine along with Pride.

The senior agent just finished turning over the warehouse and all of the evidence to NOPD. For all practical purposes, the hunt for Baitfish was now a joint investigation.

"Excuse me, Dr. Wade, Savannah was wonderin' if there's any news 'bout Chris?"

Loretta smiled and at the man and quickly apologized. She'd meant to update the father-daughter pair when Pride had come in and became distracted by his haggard looking appearance.

"The bullet fragmented; it exploded on impact meaning that there are several little partials that the surgeons are trying to remove. It appears to have missed anything vital but the fragments are so minute there is a danger of them entering the blood stream so the doctors are trying to be very precise. It's going to take some time."

"Thank you, I understand" the man nodded, as Loretta touched his forearm. "Peter, let me introduce to Agent Pride. He's in charge of our local NCIS, and Christopher's boss."

Peter Kelly extended his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Pride smiled accepting the handshake. "You've got a very brave girl over there."

"She's my whole world."

"Understand that, got one of my own, Laurel. She's nineteen."

"And how do you deal with it? Things like this?" Tonight had been the most devastating night of Savannah's life and his own.

Guilt flooded Pride over the horror that the young woman had witnessed, been a part of. It was the very thing that Linda had always feared, evil striking them all where they lived. "Time, a little faith put it in God's hands, let him to do the rest."

"Savannah loves him you know," Peter replied a bit distant. "If he doesn't make it. It'll destroy her."

It would destroy Pride too. If Chris died, there would be no limit to how far he would go to bring Baitfish down.

Pride pursed his lips, giving a slight nod. "I might be outta of line, but I'm pretty sure Christopher feels the same way about her."

"He saved my little girl's life tonight. Jumped right in front of a bullet. I can't just can't believe-" Peter's voice trailed. He was still in disbelief of the events that had taken place. It was something out of fiction or a scenario in a crime drama. These sort things didn't happen in real life.

"That's Christopher." And because of it, he'd allowed himself to become Baitfish's prisoner, a pawn to be used against the senior agent.

Peter Kelly scratched the back of his head. "So, Savannah tells me that the shooter, this Baitfish was really after you?"

"It's complicated. As much as it pains me to say this, sometimes the things that Christopher and I have to, it comes back on us, our families," Pride frowned, a bit uneasy. "I'm very sorry that Savannah got hurt because of someone who was after me. If there's anything I can do-"

The middle aged father from Alabama nodded. "Just get the guy, that's all I ask."

On the surface, Peter Kelly seemed like a reasonable and understanding man and for that Pride was grateful. Though his request seemed simple enough there was more to it.

Baitfish was smart to have lasted this long.

Peter's phone rang. "Excuse me."

Pride looked across the room to the young woman sitting in chair. Savannah looked nothing like herself. But how could he expect her to? She wasn't like the members of his team or even Loretta and Sebastian. She was a civilian; a common everyday person, untouched by the hand of violence.

Until today.

Seizing the opportunity to offer her comfort, he walked across the waiting room and sank into the chair her father had vacated.

"How ya holdin' up?"

He watched as her brow furrow, her face contorted and finally soften. "It's my job to help people get through things," she swallowed. "But right now, I can't even help myself."

Tears ran done her porcelain colored skin, chasing one another. "I should go call call Cade. He needs to know."

Pride's hand fell to her knee as she started to move. "Why don't ya let me handle that?"

Savannah's eyes shifted, narrow in focus. "He's my patient, Chris' brother. I should be the one to talk to him."

"Sometimes it's better, comin' from someone who isn't as close," Pride said gently.

"I said, I'll do it!" Savannah's voice wasn't overly loud but it had an edge that was razor sharp letting the senior agent know to back off.

"Well if ya need anything." Pride returned, once again meeting the young woman's whirlwind of emotions.

"All I need is for Chris to-"Savannah tried to catch herself, stop the complete breakdown from happening but it was too late, her emotional psyche wasn't strong another to allow her to save face.

Unconsciously, she leaned into him almost forcing the man to put his strong arms around her as she sobbed.

It was obviously going to take more than Dwayne Pride's words of infinite wisdom to get through this. So, he did the best he could and looked over the top of her head for any sign of Loretta.

The medical examiner was nowhere to be seen, but he found someone just as capable for the task.

Linda.

What was she doing here?

It didn't' matter. Right now she was god send. Pride was certain that the look on his face must have said he was crying out for help when she smiled her all-knowing and beautiful smile and started toward him.

"Need some help?" she mouthed watching his green-grey eyes go wide.

Giving a subtle nod, he released Savannah, giving way to his soon-to-be ex-wife. Taking a step back, he watched Linda as she took the younger woman, guiding her back into her chair.

Linda was always good with the families of the victims, it was her gift. It was part of what had made them a great team.

"Savannah, my name is Linda. Some folks still refer to me as Mrs. Pride. I've known Chris for a very long time and I know what you're going through. I've been there myself."

Pride couldn't help but smile at that one and let her work her calming magic. It was no wonder the school district had awarded her the Educator of the Year, 2 years she straight for being able to deal with concerned and sometimes hostile parents.

Hanging back, he watched Linda for close to two hours before Loretta reappeared with the news that Chris was out of surgery and on his way to recovery.

"Savannah, come, Christopher is going to want to see you when he wakes up." Loretta tugged at the younger woman's hands. Seemingly, Linda's work was done.

"Two questions," he said when she crossed back to the other side of the room where he waiting with a pleased grin.

"One, how did you know I was here and two, how did you know her name?"

Linda pursed her lips in an all knowing smile and clasped her hands in front her. "Jim Messier called, said you might need me and Christopher may have stopped by the house a week or so ago and mentioned it."

Pride arched an eyebrow. "Christopher talked to you?"

Linda leaned in real close, lowering her voice to a whisper. "She's the one Dwayne."

Prides eyes went wide, he knew that his best friend was close to both Linda and Laurel, but since the divorce, he just had figured that Chris and his wife had stopped communicating. "He told you that?"

"I can just tell." Linda shrugged making Dwayne smile. "He's finally going to settle down."

"You always did have a good intuition about people, still do."

"So do you." Linda said, tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear. "It looks like it's going to be long night and I know how you get. You need coffee and lots of it because you'll be up all night trying to figure out ways to catch whoever did this." She could tell by the anguish in his eyes that he hadn't caught the shooter.

Whoever did this? Pride closed his eyes, biting down on his lip. There would never be a good time to tell Linda, "The shooter was Paul Jenks, Baitfish, the same guy that tried to kill me and almost killed Orion at City Park." he said, softly, watching the color drain from her face.

"When were you going to tell me this? And Laurel?"

"Is fine…" Pride assured her. "I'll protect her, I promise." He already had a protective detail at the University both in and outside her dorm room.

"He nearly killed Christopher and his girlfriend!" Linda screeched. "Why weren't you protecting them?"

"He blindsided me, but I can promise you, it won't happen again!"

"This makes two times in a year! You're obsessed with the man, yet you can't seem to stop him!" Stubbornly, Linda shook her head, throwing up her hands. It was impossible for him to protect everyone all of the time. The threat of Paul Jenks was the entire reason they were getting divorced.

 **A/N: So not much love for Pride at the moment... But maybe when Chris comes around.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is the first of the LaSalle centered chapters. I also want to preface, that I liked him with Savannah (not as much as Cherri of course) and thought she was perfect for a 1-2 season girlfriend. I hate the fact that the writers didn't take time to develop their relationship a bit more before killing her off, but after the last 2 season finale arcs, a quick introduction and then get killed off without any real character development seems to be the norm, as they did the same with Russo/Brody.**

A sweet sense of euphoria crashed into Chris LaSalle like the surf against a rocky cliff as the world slowly revealed itself to him, through a hand tightening around his own, with unwavering resolve.

Trying to break free of the lingering anesthesia, he made a small inaudible noise and heard Savannah start.

"Chris?"

Drawn to the gentle twang that at times was a thousand times more comprehensible than his own his eyelids started to flutter and his gaze lifted up falteringly to her. Her tearful smile flashed before him for a second, before he knew it a pair of trembling lips brushed gently over his own.

He braced himself for the wave of emotion that was about to come. He wasn't even fully awake yet but he knew it was comin'.

Though he knew she hated it when he teased her about it Savannah Kelly was a crier and not that he could blame her in this case if the nightmare he'd dreaming about were true (which he knew in the back of his mind it was).

The blossoming pain on the right side of his chest reassured him of that as did the fragmented memories of a brief gunfight in the courtyard of his home, followed by another one at some darkened warehouse.

But those soft, quivering lips, sliding over his, well they were a sign that they'd both come out of the nightmare standing on the other side. Well only one of them could stand at the moment, but he wasn't going to complain.

But what about Pride?

King!

He must have made another noise or jerked or somethin' because he heard Savannah's therapist voice come out. It was a tone that he recognized listening to her talk with Cade, when he was feeling low about a manic incident.

He couldn't really make out what she was saying she was speaking to fast for his recovering mind to keep up. But she kept on kissing him. Her hand was in his hair, pushing it back in soothing manner, massaging his scalp in a way that normally took away all of his tension, when he'd worked a particularly hard case and couldn't talk about it.

But after a four hour surgery and another two of anesthesia filled sleep, Chris took his time before letting the rest of the world back in. All he cared about were those sweet lips suckling up to his own.

They were alive and safe. That was all that mattered.

Eventually that soft hand that had been holding his own made it's up to his cheek and was stroking the side of his face, coaxing him out his hazy shell.

"Hey," he managed cracking a slight grin as he turned his head to kiss her palm.

"Hey yerself," she choked on fresh tears smiling at his foolish, stupid self.

His eyes parted and rolled in classic drug induced fashion and closed again. "You still wanna know what I tol' Cade about ya that day at the lake?" he asked out of the blue for whatever reason that conversation was the last one he could recall at the moment. But it was he knew would make her feel better.

"Sure." She dragged her hand from his cheek tracing his jaw.

He heard her laugh and knew he must have had that same stupid grin smothering his face, on the day he told Cade.

"I'm gunna marry you," Chris flicked tongue out over his lips, never opening his eyes.

"You are?" He'd never remember it but she had one eye narrowed, eyebrow half-cocked. Obviously, she knew better than to take his half-conscious, still drugged up, attempt at a proposal seriously.

"Yup," he flashed a weak version of his famous grin as her hands clutched his face drawing into a bit of a dirty kiss (at least he imaged it to be dirty kiss. It could have been another peck with a just a slip of her tongue).

"I'm going to hold you to that." Savannah whispered, tracing his chapped, dry lips with the tip of her finger as he drifted back off. Her first instinct was to crawl up beside him and rest against his good side. But he looked so peaceful, that she didn't dare take the chance of disturbing him.

Instead she reached for her purse, how it had ended up here at the hospital amidst all of the chaos she didn't know. Sliding her hand inside, she pulled out a rectangular gold box and removed the lid.

A St. Christopher's medallion with a silver chain sat inside on a bed of course cotton. She'd been carrying around for a couple of days now, debating about the when and the how waiting for the right time.

Well now seemed like just as good of a time as any she supposed. Not quite the romantic gesture she had wanted but given the circumstances appropriate. She set the box aside and undid the clasp, gingerly slipping it around his neck.

He twitched a little and his brow pinched but again her soothing hands calmed him, by gently caressing the distressful crease that had formed between his eyes.

He was her savior, protector, her everything.

Another hour went by and Pride poked his in. Linda was standing at his flank.

"How's he doing?" the senior agent asked, looking over at his sleeping friend, who looked as happy as a loon.

Savannah curled around in the chair she was sitting in, a big ol' jovial grin coming to her face. "Oh, he just asked me to marry him"

"Did he, now?" Linda quipped eying her soon to be ex with an _I told you so_ , smile playing on her lips.

Pride narrowed his eyes, his face twisting comically. "Well, let me know when you finish planning the weddin', I wanna to talk to him."

"That might be a while," Savannah looked over at Chris. He was out like a light. Whatever dosage of morphine they were giving him was definitely doing the trick. The entire building could explode and the man probably wouldn't feel a thing.

Except maybe her gentle touch. It seemed to rouse him, when she needed to check to see if he was still alive.

Pride's phone chimed and he did an about face, out into the hall, allowing Linda a few moments to decompress with Savannah.

"This is Pride"

"You and LaSalle are still alive huh? I thought had a least at 50-50 shot."

Baitfish.

Anger flashed hot in Pride's chest. "Why don't ya tell me where ya are Baitfish, I'll come by, give ya another chance."

"I dun tol' you I'm not your Baitfish anymore"

"Sure you are," Pride shot back.

"Your partner, those cops, they were all just a preview. This ain't over Pride, I can guarantee it."

"Guarantee this!" Out of spite, Pride ended the call, shoving his phone back into his pocket before looking at the NOPD officer stationed at the door. "No one goes in or out of this room without a positive ID check. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

He reached for his phone, deciding it best to add more detail, every member of the team, Brody, Wade, Lund and-

Linda stood staring at him, her head titled slightly. She'd come out of the room to fill a pitcher full of ice water, so that it would be available when Christopher woke up again.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm upping the security. You can't leave here tonight," he said, placing his hands on his hips.

"I want ya to stay with Christopher and Savannah until this is over. I can't have you or Laurel goin' about your normal business."

Her face pinched causing wrinkles on her forehead. It wasn't that she minded staying with the couple offering her support and she certainly wasn't going to argue about the extra protection for Laurel. It was his tone. "You know I appreciate the concern but you can't tell me what to do anymore."

Pride opened his mouth to retort but shouts from behind the closed door stopped him.

Christopher-

His argument with Linda would have to wait. He went for the door, but a nurse in blue scrubs cut him off.

The shouting must have set off some sort of alarm.

He locked concerned eyes with Linda, his sense of urgency over keeping her sequestered temporarily forgotten. The five minutes that it took for the nurse to give him the all clear seemed like an eternity.

"What's goin' on?" Even if Pride wanted to, he couldn't mask his concern.

The young couple were huddle together, clinging to another as if their lives depended on the comfort they were feeding one another. Chris' hand was in the center of Savannah's back rubbing circles, while hers was gently kneading the muscles in his neck, her head buried in his shoulder.

"Christopher-" Pride prompted.

It took Chris a moment to lift his head. He stared at his friend for a moment before his face broke out in a goofy, tell-all-grin. Albeit, he was still a bit doped up.

"She said, Yes"


End file.
